7.5

Ah the lovely day after the 4th. I woke up alert today despite the 5 hours of sleep. No bad bug bites.

(Skip breakfast... I mean I ate... just.... anyway.)

We went out today in pairs/trios to do different types of studies on the corals. Natalie and I first did the 10 minute 1 meter by 1 meter watch. She took pictures while I recorded on a dive slate. After that, we followed a little blue tang fish around for ten minutes and watched him eat. I was able to swim with the huge fish again under the dock, and we were messing around and saw an OCTOPUS. A HUGE ONE. He clearly didn't fit in the crevace like he wanted. At first we thought he was a huge snail, and then I saw his big eyes and suctions and called Natalie back over. He was so cool! It's definitely something I hope I never forget.

(Skip lunch)

We had free work time, so I went up and took a shower in the daylight for the first time in a while. (After much anger at the water in cabin 8's shower which was so hot I was so unhappy I couldn't even touch it.) Then I've been here, at the computer, working on the Species Identification powerpoint of mine (now a lovely green and closed and done!) and attempting not to pass out next to Codee. (who braided my clean hair all nice)

At dinner, Austin and I thought it would be a good idea to pour hot sauce on our food. Of course it was super spicy hot sauce and we both were dying, but continued to eat because we had to eat something. So we both died for a while. My tongue was on fire and my lips went numb. But after a little bit more work it was alright. Then Natalie and I went back up to the room and worked more on our poster project we did today using focal species and focal area. 

Now I'm exhausted, and I need to sleep.

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Olivia Van Housen